The Lupin Kitchen
by ThatFilmStudent
Summary: The Lupin kitchen has been an integral setting for many conversations by the Lupin family. Here is two of the most important conversations the kitchen played host to. Hope/Lyall, Remus/Sirius. AU-ish.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: With the exception of Tala Lupin, I do not own these characters.**

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Hope Lupin was a beautiful woman; a loving mother, a devoted wife, and a wonderful homemaker. She loved many things – like daffodils and the films of Bette Davis, hedgehogs and beaches in the winter... But most of all, she loved her family and she loved her little cottage in the middle of the Yorkshire countryside.

Her favourite room in her little home was, undoubtedly, the kitchen – the kitchen she had built from scratch, before her son was born and before she had adopted her niece. Her kitchen was her haven, a place where she felt safe and in control, a place where she cooked and baked for her loved ones, a place of love and family and comfort.

Hope sighed silently, happily, as she stood over the cooker, her infamous Lupin Sunday Soup cooking in a large pot on the stove. She gave the broth one last stir before she replaced the lid and wiped her hands on a tea towel. She adjusted her apron and turned around, pausing and listening to the faint sounds of conversation coming from behind the kitchen door.

She rested her hands on the kitchen island and leaned forward slightly, frowning as she attempted to better hear her son and daughter's whispered conversation. They were arguing, she realised. But about what, she didn't know. She couldn't quite hear their words, only their tone. They were trying to be quiet but the pair had never been very good at being subtle.

To her left, sat in his seat at the island, was Hope's husband, Lyall Lupin, frowning in concentration as he read the 'Muggle' newspaper and drank from his scalding cup of coffee. Hope looked over at him as he took a large gulp, seemingly unfazed by its hot temperature. She had always wondered how he could drink it that hot. She often put it down to being a Wizard thing.

"Can you hear that?" she asked, quietly amused, looking over at the wooden door which still harboured her bickering children.

Lyall merely grunted in response.

Tutting, she turned her body towards him, leaving one hand on the island as her other hand fell to her side. She stared at her husband intently, tapping her foot impatiently and waiting for him to look at her.

Lyall kept his eyes on his newspaper determinedly, but Hope Lupin was a stubborn woman and she stared her husband down until, finally, he sighed resignedly and hung his head behind his paper. A moment later, he lifted his head and reluctantly glanced at her over the top of his news. She stared back expectantly, and he huffed before he closed his newspaper, folded it over, and lay it down on the table. Finally giving her his full attention, he smiled and calmly asked, "What is it, dear?"

Hope smiled triumphantly and replied, "Your children are arguing. They've been doing this since they got back. Do you think it has anything to do with the school?"

"Our children," he corrected; Hope rolled her eyes at him but Lyall ignored the action as he thought of a reply. "No," he finally replied. "Maybe. I don't know, Hope. If it is about the school, it can't be anything bad. They would have sent a letter if it was serious."

Hope hummed thoughtfully. Before her husband could pick his newspaper up again, she asked, "Well, then, what do you think they're arguing about?"

Lyall sighed and picked up his mug instead of his reading material, taking a quick sip. "I don't know, Hope," he repeated. "They're siblings. They're always arguing. It would be weird if they didn't argue now and again. Just... Leave them to it. If it's important, they'll tell us, I'm sure."

Hope raised an eyebrow before she huffed. "Fine. I suppose you're right," she replied grudgingly.

She turned back to her soup and added the gammon pieces before she washed her hands and rushed over to Lyall. She took the paper from his hands swiftly, before he could read it again, and searched the television section. Lyall threw his head back and closed his eyes in annoyance. He loved his wife immensely, but she could be quite hyperactive.

"Lyall!" she squealed excitedly.

Lyall tipped his head forward and looked at her expectantly.

"Wizard of Oz! Tonight! We have to watch it!" she demanded frantically, beaming brightly.

Just then, before Lyall could reply, their children burst into the room, Remus first with Tala following closely behind him.

Tala glared at her younger brother, separated by only a year, but Remus didn't seem to notice, too busy smiling enigmatically at her. Hope watched her children interact, watching as Tala glared at her brother and as Remus offered his sister an unreadable look – a look that seemed a mix between daring and smugness.

Almost simultaneously, the pair turned to face their parents and smiled innocently.

Hope squinted her eyes, suspicious of her children. Their smiles were too innocent. They were obviously arguing about something important to one of them, and Hope guessed it was important to Tala, judging by the death-glare she was sending her brother and by the smug look Remus wore that suggested he knew something about her that Hope and Lyall didn't.

Hope straightened up, still holding the newspaper, as Remus walked over to the kitchen island and sat down calmly, directly opposite her. Tala rushed over and jerked out the chair next to him. Remus snickered and she glowered at him again. Unknowingly, Hope scrunched up the newspaper, ignoring Lyall's mournful sound.

Remus clasped his hands together and calmly rested them on the table in front of himself. Tala huffed indignantly and all but slammed her elbows on the table. Remus snickered again and tried to hide with a fake cough.

Hope looked between them wildly, her greying brown hair becoming messier by the second. She beamed at them as she scrunched the newspaper. She didn't like it when her children kept secrets, and she was almost certain they were keeping a secret right now.

"Hello, darlings," she greeted sweetly. "How's it going?"

"Quite fine, mum," Remus grinned.

"Yeah, mum. Everything's fine," Tala replied stiffly.

Hope hummed, and before she knew it, she had slammed the newspaper down and was shouting, "What are you hiding from me?!"

Lyall said nothing. He just watched events unfold with amusement and took occasional sips from his cooling coffee.

Remus tried to hide a smile and cocked his head, turning in his chair to look at Tala. Hope's outburst didn't seem to shock them; they were used to her temperament. Tala turned to Remus, a devious look falling over her face and an evil smirk appearing on her lips.

"If you tell them, I'll tell them," she muttered under her breath.

Remus's grin faltered and he stared at her. "You wouldn't dare," he replied, unsure.

"Wouldn't I?" she challenged, quirking an eyebrow. "Do you want to bet?"

They stared at each other for a long time, daring one another to speak. Hope grasped the edge of the table, desperately wanting to know what her children were silently talking about. She would never judge them, they knew that. So why weren't they telling? It must be something bad, she concluded. They had done something bad, and they didn't want her to know...

Hope tapped her finger impatiently on the worktop. When her children merely stared at each other, she turned to her husband, eyes flashing wildly. She jerked her head in the direction of their spawn, signalling for him to help her.

"Kids," Lyall spoke, "You're making your mother feel uneasy."

"Fine," Remus said to Tala before he turned to look his mother in the eye. "Mum, I... I like blokes. In a romantic way," he stated, bluntly, simply, like it was a relief to finally voice this secret.

Hope froze, staring at her son blankly. She wasn't expecting that, to say the least.

Lyall choked on his coffee and spluttered before he looked from his son to his daughter to his wife.

Tala gawped at her brother, looking like she was deciding whether to laugh or cry.

Hope unfroze. She glanced at her husband briefly before she looked at her daughter. Once seeing her daughter's expression, she promptly decided that this secret wasn't what Tala was threatening to reveal. Finally, Hope looked at her son. She opened her mouth to say something – **anything!** – but all that came out was a strange sounding, "Oh."

"I-I like women too," Remus assured quickly, glancing between his parents, looking panicked, "But I... I-I just..."

Hope stood silent, trying to find the right words – words of support and love. She would accept him, without hesitation. She had nearly lost her boy years ago, after he was bitten. She didn't want to ever lose him, and the night he was turned, she had made a promise to herself to accept him, to accept whatever he wanted to do and whoever he wanted to be.

But she was at a loss for words. Honestly, she couldn't say it hadn't crossed her mind that her son might be... _homosexual_ , but she was caught a bit off-guard with his sudden confession. It was so blunt, so simple, that it had her caught unawares.

"Remus," Tala spoke, breaking the silence and shaking with silent laughter, her mouth still gaping disbelievingly at him, "That's... That is not what I was going to tell them!"

Remus snapped his head her way. "What?" he asked, eyes wide.

Tala laughed, tears threatening to fall from her eyes, and said, "I... I was going to... I was going to tell them about the end-of-term prank!"

Remus frowned, panicking, and groaned before he threw his head into his hands. "Oh, God. Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God..." he muttered under his breath.

Hope looked over to her husband, hoping he would say something.

Lyall just shrugged in response.

Tala was still cackling in her chair, head thrown back.

"Mum, dad..." Remus looked up, frowning worriedly, "I'm so sorry. I-I didn't... I didn't mean... I mean, I did, but I wasn't going to... Oh, God, I'm sorry."

"Remus, darling," Hope spoke, finally finding her voice. She walked around the table and pulled her son into her arms, hugging him tightly, offering him comfort and hopefully showing him that she thought him no different. "It's okay," she said, speaking quietly, soothingly. "You're still my boy. It doesn't matter if you like boys or girls, or both... You're still you." She took his face between her hands and forced him to look at her. "You're still my handsome, brilliant, smart, kind boy. This doesn't change anything," she assured, staring into the hazel-amber eyes which were so like her own.

Remus swallowed, looking so scared and so unsure. "Really?" he asked, and it broke Hope's heart to hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"Yes," Lyall finally spoke.

Remus looked over at his father, worried frown still in place.

"Remus, you are what you are. And we accept you, because we love you."

"Honestly, darling," Hope smiled, "You don't need to apologise. You can't change it. It's a part of you, but it's not who you are, Remus. You are so much more than who you love. You are kind and beautiful and someone will see this – and we honestly don't care if that someone is a man, a woman, or a Banshee. As long as you're happy."

Remus nodded, and said, "I really am sorry. This isn't how I wanted to tell you. I mean, I don't know if I wanted to tell you at all, really..."

Lyall frowned. "Remus, you know that this doesn't change our opinion of you, right? We aren't going to love you any less. You're still our lad. Nothing is going to change that."

Remus swallowed and nodded. "Thanks. I do know that. Now, I mean."

Hope smiled down at her son and gave him another hug.

Lyall looked over to his daughter who was still giggling. "So, Tala, what's your secret then?" he asked. "Remus has told us his secret. I think it's only fair that you tell us yours."

Tala's smile dropped and she stilled in her chair, her blue eyes going impossibly wide. Hope and her son turned to look at her, and Hope stared at her expectantly. She couldn't see her son's face, but from her daughter's glare, Remus must have been looking pretty smug.

"I... It-it's nothing," she stuttered. "There's nothing to, um, tell."

"Come on, Tee, you might as well tell them," Remus chuckled. "They're going to find out anyways."

Tala glared at him once more before she sighed and said, "Fine. I... Look, mum, dad, they were just mocks, okay? Not the real ones," she reassured, looking between her uncle and her aunt, "I failed my Potions and Astronomy mock exams."

"What? How?" Lyall asked, frowning. "Last term, you were getting Outstandings... What changed?"

"I..."

"Go on, Tee," Remus urged.

"I was... preoccupied," Tala stated.

"With what?" Lyall asked.

"What could be more important than your... reptile tests...?" Hope asked, still unsure about the exams her children would be doing soon.

"NEWTs, dear," Lyall informed.

"I... It's..." Tala floundered and looked to Remus for help.

Remus just sighed and said, simply, "She's got a boyfriend. She was too busy snogging him in the library instead of studying."

Tala gasped, "Judas!"

"What? You asked for my help!" Remus replied.

"Not that kind of help!"

"Well, I wasn't going to lie to them."

"Tala Annabeth Lupin!" Hope howled. "You think that boys are more important than your studies – more important than your future?"

"No, mum," Tala replied hurriedly. "Honestly, I—"

"Boys come and go, darling, but these tests decide your future! They're important!"

"I know, mum. They were mock tests! I haven't actually failed anything," Tala assured.

"You'd better not have, young lady!" Hope replied sternly.

"Tala, here's what you're going to do," Lyall said, gaining everyone's attention. "You are going to start studying, every night. Your studies come first, do you understand me?"

"Yes, dad," Tala replied. "I swear, it was just fluke. I'll do better."

"Good, darling," Hope smiled, moving away from her son's side to hug her daughter. "We only want to best for you, darling. For both of you," she added, placing a hand on Remus's shoulder. "Because we love you, and we want you to succeed – circumstances be damned!"

"We know, mum," her children replied, almost simultaneously.

"Good," Hope replied before she extricated herself and walked over to the stove to check on the soup. She peaked in and sniffed then put the lid back on. "It's nearly done," she chirped before she began chopping up some freshly made bread.

"I cannot believe you just told them," Tala giggled quietly, nudging Remus with her elbow. "That was the funniest outing I have ever witnessed."

Remus chuckled as well. "Seen many outings, have you?"

Tala just shrugged. "I wasn't going to tell them, you know? I mean, I'm proud of you, for telling them, but I wasn't threatening to out you."

"I know. I mean, I know that now," he shrugged and breathed easier. "Doesn't matter, though. It's over and done with now."

Hope suddenly whirled around on her family, eyes wild and excited, looking quite threatening whilst holding a large bread-cutting knife in the air. "Guess what's on tonight?! The Wizard of Oz!" she asked, and answered before they could. "We're going to watch it, after dinner," she informed before she twirled back around and continued cutting the bread. "So, Remus," she murmured, all-too-casually, "Any boys you like?"

Tala giggled, and Remus glowered at her.

"No, mum," he lied.

Hope hummed, and then said, "Tala, darling, why don't you tell us about your new beau."

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 **A/N: Thanks for reading!**

 **Written: July, 2016  
Rewritten: October, 2018**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: See chapter 1.**

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Lyall and Hope Lupin stumbled down their passageway and burst into the kitchen, both trying to get ahead of one another as they ran the short distance to drop their respective bags of shopping onto the kitchen island table.

"HA! I win!" Hope declared triumphantly, beaming as she stared at her husband.

Lyall sighed, defeated by his wife once again, and muttered under his breath, "Dammit."

Lyall's wife was a formidable (and competitive) woman, and she always won that game of theirs – even when Lyall actually tried. It was a game they had invented over 20 years ago, when they had first moved in together, as a way to make the food shopping more interesting. Lyall couldn't even remember how it had started, but he was willing to bet that Hope had started it.

Hope grinned smugly and Lyall glanced around the kitchen, spotting his (adopted) daughter standing in the corner, munching on a bowl of cereal. He then looked to the kitchen island, where his son and his 'friend' were sitting. Remus shot his father a look that said, 'Too bad.' And Lyall nodded, knowing what the consequences were for the one who lost their game.

"I won," Hope announced proudly to her family, grinning widely.

Tala just smiled, mouth closed and presumably full of Rice Krispies.

"Congrats, mum," Remus replied, amused.

Sirius Black, Remus's friend from Hogwarts, smiled at Hope. "Congratulations, Mrs. Lupin," he said.

"Oh. Hello, Sirius, darling," Hope smiled, sounding like she hadn't realised he was there until he spoke. She turned to Lyall. "You know the rules," she said, hands on her hips. "You have to go and get the rest of the shopping."

Lyall huffed but obliged and walked out of the house to the Muggle car. Distantly, he could hear his wife asking, "Go and help him, would you, darling?"

A moment later, Remus was outside, helping his father with the shopping bags.

Once all of the bags were in hand, Lyall closed the boot of the car and the Lupin men walked back into the little cottage, entering the kitchen just as Hope began unpacking the shopping bags that were already on the kitchen island. Lyall and Remus placed their bags on the table carefully, and Remus went to sit down again as Lyall began helping his wife put the food away.

"Sirius, darling," Hope chirped. "I didn't know you were coming to visit Remus. If he'd told me, I would have set the sofa up!"

"Oh, it's fine, Mrs. Lupin," Sirius replied, smiling politely. He glanced at Tala, who was smirking at him, before he turned back to Hope. "I don't think I'll be staying long. I have training tomorrow."

"Ah, yes. You're training to be an Aurora or something, right?" Hope asked as she shoved a packet of chocolate digestives in the biscuit drawer and handed Lyall some eggs.

"An Auror, mum," Remus corrected.

"Yes, Ma'am," Sirius replied respectfully. "Would you like some help, Mrs. Lupin?"

"Oh, no, love. You're alright," she said kindly. "And Sirius, dear, how many times have I told you to call me Hope?"

Sirius frowned faintly, looking slightly confused. "Never?" he replied carefully.

Hope's brow furrowed in thought. "Really?" she asked, looking at the young wizard.

Sirius nodded, glancing at Remus momentarily before he looked back at Hope.

"Huh," Hope hummed curiously, then shrugged airily and returned to packing the fridge.

Tala giggled from her corner and Lyall smiled, amused, noting that his wife still hadn't asked Sirius to call her by her first name. Remus hid a smile behind his cup of tea, and Sirius looked confused for a moment before he took a sip of his own drink.

Hope moved onto the Muggle freezer and Lyall helped her put the frozen food away. Although he had lived in a Muggle cottage with a Muggle woman for over 20 years, he was still amazed by Muggle technology and how Muggles could create such intricate machines when a simple charm could do the same job for them.

Once the food was put away, Lyall took his usual seat at the kitchen island and watched as his wife moved over to the stove and flicked the kettle on. His eyes slid to his daughter, who smiled back and then put her empty bowl in the sink, rinsing it out. Tala had the same piercing blue eyes as Lyall and his brother (Tala's biological father), but she always looked playful – never threatening.

Lyall then looked at his son, who had his looks but Hope's warm hazel eyes, and he watched for a moment as Remus and Sirius communicated silently, mostly through facial movements. He took a minute to observe Sirius, studying his son's _friend_.

Lyall had met some of the Black family before, when he had worked at the Ministry and when he went to Hogwarts; and it was fair to say that he wasn't overly fond of them. Some of them were okay – like Alphard, who had been in Lyall's year and who Lyall had been quite good friends with until they finished school and lost touch. But the others... Well, needless to say, he didn't much care for them.

Sirius looked a lot like his father, Orion; same grey eyes and black hair, same straight nose and high cheekbones. But Sirius was different from his father. Sirius seemed kinder, loyal to a fault, and so much more polite. Plus, Remus was a good judge of character, and he was friends with Sirius. So Sirius can't have been that bad, Lyall reasoned. But that didn't mean he wasn't still wary. Sirius was a Black, after all – even if he was disowned.

Just then, Sirius turned away from Remus, conversation apparently finished, and noticed Lyall staring at him. He quickly straightened in his seat and returned the gaze bravely, if not a bit nervously. Sirius had always been skittish around Lyall, and Lyall knew it. It showed in the young wizard's awkward demeanour and short but polite words. Lyall made sure to keep his face as unreadable as possible, and Sirius shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

"Sirius," Lyall greeted, nodding curtly before he picked his newly bought newspaper up.

"Mr. Lupin," Sirius replied.

After a moment, Lyall opened his newspaper and began reading. Hope tittered about the kitchen, cleaning and setting cups up for the hot beverages. Tala moved from her corner and sat down at the end of the table, opposite Lyall. Remus downed the rest of his tea, seemingly unaware of the staring contest that had occurred between his friend and his father. And Sirius took a large gulp of his coffee before putting the cup back down on the table and putting his hands in his lap.

After a few minutes of silence, broken only by Hope bustling around and Tala teasing Remus, Lyall's curiosity got the better of him. Sirius was fidgety – more so than usual – and he knew that there had to be a reason for it. He cleared his throat, gaining the attentions of the family and Sirius, and asked, eyes still on his paper, "So, Sirius. Remus didn't say you were coming here today. Is this a surprise visit or...?"

Hope sat down at the table, across from Remus and next to Lyall. She smiled warmly at Sirius and crossed her leg over the other, placing a hand on Lyall's arm affectionately.

Sirius glanced around the Lupin family before his gaze finally landed on Remus, then on Lyall. "Uh," he replied intelligently. "I... Yes, sort of. I mentioned coming over at some point, and since I had a few hours free today, I just thought I'd visit now..."

Lyall hummed quietly behind his newspaper.

Hope jumped off of her chair and asked, to no one in particular, "Do you want a cuppa, love?"

"Yes, please," Lyall and Remus replied, almost concurrently.

"Sirius, coffee? Tala, tea?" Hope asked.

Sirius smiled and nodded, "Yes, please, Mrs. Lupin."

"Yeah, mum," Tala replied. "Thank you."

Hope nodded and began making cups of coffee and tea.

"So..." Tala began, leaning forward on her elbows, watching Sirius with intent in her eyes. "You're just paying Remus a visit, then?"

"Yep," Sirius answered, and flashed her a charming grin.

Tala's cheeks coloured slightly and she sat back in her chair, crossing her arms coolly. "He's been spending a lot of time in the city," she said. "Why not just wait until he visited you?"

Sirius just shrugged and held up his hands, as if to show that he didn't have an answer for her.

Hope took her opening and thrust a new cup of coffee into one of Sirius's extended hands. She then distributed the other cups to the rest of the family and Lyall, without looking, heated his coffee up even more with his wand and a wordless spell. Once the coffee was bubbling, he put his wand down and took a sip.

From his periphery, Lyall noticed his son and Sirius trading looks, once again communicating silently. Sirius raised his eyebrows, and Remus responded with an almost imperceptible shrug. Remus then took a long swig of his tea and placed his mug in front of himself, wrapping his hands around it and staring into the creamy depths.

"Remus, darling, you're awfully quiet today," Hope stated, jumping back onto her chair and taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "Is there something wrong?"

Remus started and shook his head – a little too quickly, Lyall thought. "No, mum," he replied. "I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Lyall frowned and lowered his newspaper slightly. Not only was the Black boy nervous, Remus was too, he realised. He glanced around his family, noting Tala's smirk and Hope's oblivious smile; then he looked at his son, and he noticed the rigidity in Remus's shoulders, the tension in his face. He watched as Sirius offered his son a soft smile and his hand disappeared under the table to rest on Remus's knee supportively.

Frowning deeper, Lyall closed his newspaper and folded it before he dropped it on the table, the crunching sounds effectively gaining everyone's attentions. Quietly, he took a large gulp of his coffee and when he finally lowered his cup, he looked at Remus and carefully asked, "Remus, is there something you would like to tell us?"

Everyone looked at Remus, and Sirius gave his leg another reassuring squeeze under the table. Remus swallowed thickly and placed his hand over Sirius's, the action natural and seeming to relax some of the tension in his shoulders.

"Well," he began, voice under remarkable control, "Um... Yes, actually. There is something I needed to tell you."

Lyall nodded and made a hand gesture for Remus to continue.

"What is it, darling? You know you can tell us anything," Hope reassured, grasping Lyall's hand as if she worried Remus's news was something bad.

"I..." Remus hesitated for a moment but after sharing a look with Sirius, he nodded and turned back to his parents. "Look, this isn't a whim thing. I have actually thought about this. In fact, I thought about it all summer, and I think I'm ready."

"Ready for what, love?" Hope asked.

"I've decided to move out," he replied. "I mean, I'm moving in with Sirius. If-if that's okay, I mean?"

"Doesn't Sirius live in London?"

"Yes, but it really isn't that far away, mum," Remus replied hastily. "I mean, I could Floo or Apparate. I could even drive here, if I pass my test. And if I can't do any of those, well, then there's always the train..."

"You want to move to London?" Hope asked, her grip on her husband's hand tightening.

"I just..." Remus sighed, glancing between his parents. "Look, I love the Dales. Yorkshire is great, and it will always feel like home to me. But London is... so different. It's busy and frantic, and everyone is always on the move. And no one knows me down there. Londoners, they're so busy that they don't care if a werewolf lives next door. People don't know me, and I like that. Besides, there are more job opportunities down there, and all of my friends are there, and I like London."

"But... London is big, and dangerous," Hope muttered, worried frown on her brow.

"I can protect myself, mum," Remus replied. "But I wouldn't be living anywhere dangerous. Sirius has this nice little Muggle flat, right on the edges of London. It's in a safe area, and it's near my friends, and I think you'd love it – if you saw it. London really is a wonderful place, mum."

"Where would you transform? It's all buildings there, isn't it?"

"Well, James's family own a lot of land. They offered their forests to me on Full Moons."

"And you'll be safe?"

"Mrs. Lupin," Sirius spoke. "If you want, you can come and see the flat; see where Remus would be living and how safe it is. Besides, I'm training to be an Auror. I wouldn't let him get hurt. He would be safe, I promise."

Hope hesitated but nodded, "I would love to see the flat."

"So... Is that a yes?" Remus asked. "I can move in with Sirius?"

Hope looked at her husband and asked, silently, with a tilt of her head, 'What do you think?'

Lyall stared back at his wife and shrugged, silently replying, 'It's up to Remus. He's a grown man, now.'

Hope sighed but nodded and turned back to their son. "Fine. But I want to see this place, and I want phone calls. Every night."

"Hope..." Lyall murmured, offering her a comforting hand-squeeze.

"Fine. Every other night," she acquiesced. "But I want you here every Sunday, for dinner."

Remus smiled, relieved, and nodded, "That sounds fine."

"You too, Sirius," she urged.

Sirius grinned. "I'll certainly try, Mrs. Lupin," he replied.

"Remus," Lyall spoke. "Is there anything else you wanted to tell us?"

Remus glanced at Sirius and after an encouraging nod, he turned to his parents and said, "Yeah. Um, Sirius and I... Well, the reason we're moving in together is because... w-we are together."

Tala's face lit up. "I knew it!" she crowed, before she leaned over and taunted, "Awww! And you're holding hands! Isn't that cute?"

Remus shot her a glare but did not remove his hand from Sirius's.

"You and Sirius are together?" Hope asked. "Romantically? Like Sirius is your boyfriend?"

Remus winced at the title but nodded.

"Oh, that's brilliant!" Hope exclaimed, before she turned to her husband and asked, "Didn't I always say Sirius was a nice boy?" She turned back to her son and Sirius. "I'd always hoped you two would get together."

"Thank you, Mrs. Lupin," Sirius replied, grinning.

Lyall leaned forward in his chair and caught Sirius's gaze. "You and my son?" he asked, voice stern.

Sirius's grin faltered and he swallowed nervously before he nodded in reply.

"How long?" he asked; when Remus opened his mouth to answer, he interrupted: "Sirius?"

Wide eyed, Sirius looked at him and he cleared his throat, answering with, "N-nearly seven months now, Mr. Lupin."

Lyall hummed and sat back in his chair, regarding the Black boy carefully. He wondered how much like his family Sirius was. If Sirius was like Orion and Walburga, or if he was like Alphard. He needed to know if Remus was going to be safe and happy with Sirius. Sirius was training to be an Auror, so Lyall had no doubt that Remus would at least be safe with him. But happy? Lyall would have to ask and decide for himself whether Sirius was good enough for his son.

"Why are you with my son, Sirius?" he asked, ignoring Remus's groan and Tala's giggle.

"Dad, really?" Remus asked.

"Tala gets this treatment for the boys she brings home. You should be no different," Lyall replied, eyes still fixed on Sirius. "Sirius?"

"Uh... B-because I love him?" Sirius replied questioningly.

Tala snorted. "You don't sound so certain," she sniggered.

"Tala, darling, let your dad sort this out," Hope spoke sweetly before she returned her attention to her husband and her son's boyfriend, an amused smile playing on her lips.

Tala shrugged in acquiesce and watched Lyall and Sirius.

"Are you asking me?" Lyall frowned. "Or telling me?"

"U-um..." Sirius stumbled for a moment before he straightened up and stared back unwaveringly. "Telling you, Sir. I love Remus," he replied firmly.

Lyall hummed and looked at his son, noting the expression on Remus's face – a mixture between annoyance, concern, and very slight amusement. Lyall returned his eyes to Sirius and studied the young Black in front of him. He watched as Sirius fidgeted in his seat but stared back steadily. The look on Sirius's face, although nervous, showed exactly why the Hat had put him in Gryffindor; determination shone through on his aristocratic features, and Sirius stared back at Lyall boldly.

"You love my son?" Lyall asked, once again.

"Yes, Sir," Sirius replied, and this time it wasn't a question.

Lyall hummed and then, after a long moment, he asked, "Why?"

"Why?" Sirius repeated dumbly, obviously confused by the question. He quickly glanced at Remus for help but Remus was too busy frowning at his father. He turned back to Lyall.

"Yes. Why? Is this merely a passing fancy, Sirius, or do you really love my son? If so, what I want to know is why," Lyall clarified. "Why do you love my son?"

Sirius frowned, looking slightly affronted, as if he hadn't expected to be questioned on something so obvious. But Lyall wanted to know exactly why he should allow his son to move in with someone who may not really love his son or who may not feel the same way about Remus. Remus was in love, that much was obvious. Lyall had never seen his son so content, so relaxed and comfortable, before; and he knew it was Sirius's doing. So he wanted – no, he **needed** to know if Sirius reciprocated those feelings. He needed to know if Sirius could be depended upon in Remus's darkest hours.

Sirius took a moment to absorb the question. "Why," he muttered to himself before he finally looked up and asked, "Why wouldn't I?"

Lyall watched as Sirius looked at his son and smiled. Remus returned the smile, looking a little embarrassed by his father's impromptu inquisition but happy with Sirius's reply. And that's all Lyall wanted – for his children to be happy.

"To be honest, Mr. Lupin," Sirius spoke, returning his cloudy grey eyes to Lyall's piercing blue, "I don't know how to answer that question. It's an impossible question, with too many possible answers. I just do." He looked down at their joint hands. "I love everything about him. He's kind and beautiful and he never judges anyone, and he has the patience of a hundred saints. I mean, he must do, to put up with me for as long as he has," he chuckled.

Lyall hummed quietly, watching as Remus tried to hide a smile at Sirius's words.

"He can change my mood in an instant," Sirius continued, looking up. "He walks into a room and I'm just suddenly happier. He knows how to calm me down, and I don't know how he does it but he had saved a lot of people from my temper flares. Hell, he's saved me from it." He grinned stupidly and looked at Remus. "I have known Remus for nearly nine years now and I honestly couldn't imagine my life without him in it," he stated, his grin widening when Remus began to blush faintly. He looked back at Lyall and finished with, "I know it sounds stupid and sappy, but it's the truth. There is no **why** ; I just do."

Lyall stared at Sirius Black for a long moment, contemplating the young wizard's words. Unprepared, Sirius had still managed to convince Lyall that Remus would be safe and content with the young ex-Black. To know that someone could admire – no, **love** – his son so much, it assured Lyall that Remus could be happy with Sirius.

"Okay," Lyall replied simply before he picked his newspaper up and began reading it again.

A confused silence reigned over the Lupin kitchen for a small moment before Hope asked, "So... How about this Sunday? I could come by and look at the flat, and then we could all come back here for Sunday's dinner?"

"Er... Sounds like a plan, mum," Remus replied. "I can move in after you've checked out the flat?"

"Of course. If it meets my standards, of course," Hope replied. She stood up and walked around the kitchen island. "Welcome to the family, Sirius," she chirped, wrapping Sirius in a tight hug.

Sirius smiled and hugged her back. "Thank you, Mrs. Lupin."

"Please, darling," she pulled back and smiled, "Call me Hope."

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Written: July, 2016  
Rewritten: October, 2018**


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